Venezuelan ruler heads to Algiers, Moroccan opposition prince booted from Tunisia, and a Saudi crackdown on Islamist clerics. To subscribe to this daily Mideast roundup, click here. Rocked by protests and newly sanctioned by the U.S. Government, Venezuelan president Maduro arrives in Algeria. The sanctions barred U.S. banks from the country and isolated the national oil company. Algerian FM says enhancing oil trade will be discussed. The trip should be understood in the context of the following recent statement by Maduro: “[Let’s] start selling oil, gas and all other products that Venezuela sells with new currencies, including the Chinese yuan, the Japanese yen, the Russian ruble, the Indian rupee among others.” Algeria may well throw him a lifeline. Sidelined Moroccan prince deported from Tunisia: Moulay Hicham, ensconced at Stanford U. and an outspoken critic of King Mohammed VI, was to have given a lecture about the future of the Arab spring then continue east to Qatar for an event at Brookings Doha. But now he’s stuck in Paris. Tunisian authorities are keeping tight-lipped. Saudi Continue Reading…
Author • Broadcaster • Middle East Specialist
Joseph Braude’s New and Noteworthy in Arab and Islamic Affairs, 9-11-17
New and Noteworthy in Arab and Islamic Affairs, 9-10-17
A fuzzy encounter between the U.S. Navy and Iran, an intra-Jewish spat over relations with Qatar, and scrappy decisions in Algiers. To subscribe to this daily roundup, click here. Iran claims it confronted a U.S. Navy vessel and the U.S. issues a denial. Reuters cites Tasnim News Agency as saying an “Iranian military vessel confronted an American warship in the Gulf and warned it to stay away from a damaged Iranian fishing boat.” U.S. Naval Central Command acknowledged it heard a small boat’s distress call 75 miles away but “at no time was there any direct contact between the U.S. and Iranian maritime forces.” Qatar pays a Jewish-owned PR firm to court American Jews, but a Chabad rabbi warns Jews that Doha has blood on its hands. Times of Israel: “Qatar is paying $50,000 a month for outreach to the Jewish community to a prominent Jewish Republican operative at a time when the Persian Gulf nation is facing calls for isolation from other moderate Arabs and by conservatives in Washington, DC.” Full page ad in the New Continue Reading…
